Skip to content

Ratings Change: Obama State Shifts to Trump

Iowa shifts from Tossup to Tilts Republican

GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump is well-positioned to win Iowa's six electoral votes on Tuesday, Nathan Gonzales writes. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump is well-positioned to win Iowa's six electoral votes on Tuesday, Nathan Gonzales writes. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continues to have a narrow but distinct advantage over Donald J. Trump in the presidential race, but one state that President Barack Obama won twice looks to have slipped away from the Democrat’s reach.

Obama won Iowa twice with little fanfare, but Trump is well-positioned to win the Hawkeye State’s six electoral votes on Tuesday. The final pre-election poll by Iowa-based Selzer & Co., conducted Nov. 1-4, showed Trump with a 46-39 percent lead. Other private polling confirms the Republican’s advantage.

[Roll Call Election Guide/ President]

We’re changing the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call rating from Tossup to Tilts Republican. A shift in Iowa still keeps Trump below 200 electoral votes out of the 270 necessary to win the White House. Clinton looks poised to win 323 electoral votes, with Ohio the remaining tossup.

Overall, in my mind, there’s a difference between a close race and a tossup race. This is a close race, but Clinton continues to have an easier path to victory in the Electoral College.

Recent Stories

Joseph Lieberman: A Capitol life in photos

‘Take the money and run’: Obama, Clinton to raise campaign cash for Biden at A-list NYC event

Cole considered early favorite to win House Appropriations gavel

Joseph Lieberman, an iconoclast who frustrated the Democratic Party, dies at 82

Officials: Baltimore bridge price tag could be at least $2 billion

Race to House majority runs through the 10 Toss-ups